Louisiana Environmental Action Network

The BP data showed that at location "B20" 25% of the rotifers were killed by the water sample that was taken at 500 feet below the surface of the Gulf.  It is unknown if the toxicity found is from the dispersant, the oil or the combination of the two. However, there was obviously something at that level that caused the death of 25% of the organisms.

Also at location "B20" the sample taken at 1300 feet listed the percentage of rotifer survival as "80 (93.8)."  If 80% is the valid number then this indicates the presence of something at that level that caused the death of 20% of the organisms.

The EPA made this testing data available on its website today May 20, 2010 within hours of receiving it from BP. Today the EPA also released a directive requiring BP to use a less toxic dispersant.

The directive requires BP to identify a less toxic alternative - to be used both on the surface and under the water at the source of the oil leak - within 24 hours and to begin using the less toxic dispersant within 72 hours of submitting the alternative.

If BP is unable to identify available alternative dispersant products, BP must provide the Coast Guard and EPA with a detailed description of the alternative dispersants investigated, and the reason they believe those products did not meet the required standards.

To date approximately 655,000 gallons of total dispersant have been deployed-600,000 on the surface and 55,000 subsea.

We applaud the EPA for releasing this data to the public and for requiring the use of less toxic dispersants. However, we continue to be concerned about the control that BP has over the the response to this disaster. We also have concerns about the availability of raw sample data.

"It should have been the EPA deciding if, what kind and how dispersants would be used in the first place and they certainly should be able to tell BP which dispersant to use now," said Paul Orr, Lower Mississippi Riverkeeper.

We ask that the raw data from all testing of the air, water, sediments and animal tissues be made publicly available in a timely manner.

Orr went on to say, "It is vital that the data from all the sampling be made available so that a robust examination and discussion of that data can take place in order to make the best decisions for the protection of the environment and human health."